Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with communication protocols defining communication requirements between a mobile communications architecture and a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN).
Wireless communication systems, such as a Global Systems for Mobile (GSM) communication architecture, Personal Communications Service (PCS) architecture and Digital Cellular System (DCS) architecture, are mobile communications architectures that enable wireless communication of information, such as speech, control data and Short Message Service (SMS). Data networks, such as the Internet or intranet, are packet switched architectures that enable computers to remotely access services, such as audio, video, graphical or simple text applications, on a remote device.
A General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) architecture allows communication devices, such as a mobile phone, mobile computer or Personal Digital Assistance (PDA), access to services provided on a data network. GPRS is a packet switched architecture that enables communication between a mobile communications architecture and a data network, such as the Internet, intranet or another GPRS network architecture. The GPRS architecture may comprise support nodes coupled to the mobile communications architecture and a Packet Data Network (PDN) where services such as audio, video, or simple text files residing on a server may be accessed, for example, through a router. Standardized protocols define methods of communication between support nodes, the mobile communications architecture, and the PDN.
Data, including user data (i.e. audio, video and text, and signaling data) communicated across different systems, may be appended with protocol data according to industry standardized methods. The protocol data provides the routing and control information necessary to allow two system components to communicate. System components may be directly connected or may be connected through an intermediate network. Data routed between system components may be routed through an intermediate network comprising different networks and sub-networks having intermediate system components. The networks and sub-networks may vary and therefore utilize different communication protocols to transport data.
An application program, such as a file transfer or a mail transfer, to be communicated between two end systems is broken down into individual data packets and encapsulated with protocol data. The encapsulated protocol data may include a physical link layer, a data link layer and network layer. The physical link layer describing the physical properties of the equipment and the transmission medium, the data link layer describing the data structure and relay information for a particular network or sub-network and the network layer providing end to end routing and data integrity functions. An intermediate system of a network or sub-network utilizing a data link layer other than the data link layer of the encapsulated data packet must access the network layer protocol to continue routing. If the data link layer is incompatible and a network layer protocol does not exist, the communication fails.
European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI) GSM 08.16: “Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); General Packet Radio Service (GPRS); Base Station System (BSS)-Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) interface; Network Service” currently defines the Network Service layer of the Gb interface as utilizing a data link layer to transport data without a network or transport layer protocol. GSM 08.16 currently defines the data link layer as Frame Relay (FR). Therefore, the link and any intermediate system coupling the mobile communications architecture and the GPRS architecture must be FR. The restriction of data transportation between the GPRS architecture and the mobile communications architecture to the data link layer, and more specifically to FR, limits flexibility and may effect reliability.
As may be seen, a method and system for improving data communication between a mobile communications architecture and a GPRS architecture could provide more efficient, flexible and reliable data communications.